Bring Me to Life
by Star Tiger1
Summary: Uhoh, Kyo's gone too far this time. Yuya's gone & left the group & it doesn't look like she'll be coming back on her own. What's this? Kyo won't even let Benitora go after her? And what do Bontenmaru & Akira seem to know that they don't want to tell Yuya?
1. Author's Note

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Okay, okay, I know that I've been pretty much dead here on but I want you to know that, well, I'm not… I'm just working on original works, really.

See, I have this commission that I've been working on and it's been taking up a lot of time… 33 chapters and I haven't even introduced the bad guy yet… eep, right?

But anyways, the reason for this big note thingy is this: I recently received a review asking me to update this story, and the truth is, I've been re-writing it on the side of my commission. The difference between the rewrite and the original? The rewrite has more plot, and Yuya isn't separated from Kyo all the time. See? Better. Also, I've changed two names. Instead of Kiru and Tora, I decided to change the characters. For those of you who've read "Friendly Persuasion", then you know that Tora is my main sidekick, ne? So, he is now Toge. My main OC is Shinda, cool guy, I think… he's like a Mini-Kyo, only he's _so_ not. Remember Kiru? Shinda is sorta her equivalent, only Yukimura didn't steal anything from him.

Reason for the rewrite? Well, I didn't like where it was going, and besides that, it was at a dead-end anyway. I couldn't think of a _thing_ for Yukimura to have stolen, and everything was all mashed together. See, unlike most authors I've read about, I don't make outlines for my stories. I just kinda let them go down whatever road they want without my having to leash them too much. If I have to leash it to the point that there's a dead-end, then I just start all over with it if I still like the concept that I was trying to put into it.

So now I've got something new going, and I'm going to post the first 3 chapters of the rewrite right in here on the original's page.

THIS IS A REWRITE, PLEASE DON'T THINK THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE STORY ABOVE. THANK YOU.

Okay, now that I have that out of the way, I will post the Prologue, Chapter 1, & Chapter 2 under the original's name, which happens to be the re-write's name as well. So here's "Bring Me to Life" take 2, ok? Thanks for putting up with me! 


	2. Prologue 2

Bring Me to Life

Prologue:

"Why did you have to do that?"

"I didn't mean to... I know he could take care of himself... I guess I just wanted to sa-..." She was stopped as she nearly choked on her own blood rising up in her throat and spilling over her breast bindings.

"Try not to move, Suzaku-san. You didn't have to run in front of an idiot like Bontenmaru."

Bontenmaru nodded, "Yea, you didn't have to..."

"Whatever," Suzaku said, shrugging as best she could, despite the poisoned arrow in her shoulder, "I am a child of... of the forest... I won't really die. You'll see me again. I won't go down so easily. Kyo-dono wouldn't let me."

"You gonna shut up and die yet?" The red-eyed samurai known as Kyo asked.

Suzaku smirked, "Only if you let me touch Tenro one last time, Kyo-dono."

Sighing, Kyo held out his left hand, his sword Tenro in his grip. Holding Suzaku up, Bontenmaru helped her to reach out her right hand. Just as her fingertips were about to touch Muramasa's masterpieces, Bontenmaru felt her body shudder as a rattled breath passed her lips and her arm fell limp in Bontenmaru's hand mere centimeters from the sword she had asked to touch.

The sound of sandaled feet reached their ears as the last of them arrived, "Am I too late?"

"Hai," Akira said, getting up from his place on the ground as he sensed Suzaku's life slip away completely, "her dying wish was not even fulfilled."

The green-eyed, flame-wielding man's face did not change, but even Akira — the blind member of the Four Emperors — could tell that he was upset.

"Akira, freeze her." Came Bontenmaru's voice as he laid the woman's arms across her chest.

"Pardon?"

"I said freeze her, Akira. Gotta preserve her body for when she comes back." He said, scribbling a quick note before putting it in the woman's hands.

"But should she come back, would she not live only to die again by suffocation or cold?" Akira asked, giving Bontenmaru his equivalent of a knowing look.

"No," came Hotaru's voice, sounding as though he were trying to convince himself more than the others, "she will come back as the phoenix does. Since she did not die in flames, she will come back in a brilliant display of fire. That is why she was called Suzaku and I was not."

"How did she get the name Suzaku?" Akira asked, holding his chin in his hand in a thoughtful pose.

"What's it matter? She's dead. Freeze her and be done with it." Came Kyo's bored voice. He sat on a flat rock, his sword between his knees.

Shrugging, Akira froze the young woman's body in a rectangular block of ice, "We can't leave her out in the open."

"There's a cave over there." Bontenmaru pointed out.

Hotaru nodded, "That'll work."

Akira also nodded his agreement, so Bontenmaru hefted the block and put it standing up at the far back. Hoping she was right about being able to come back, Bontenmaru swore that she winked at him before he left, her blue eyes staring at his back as he left.

"_Her eyes used to be as red as Kyo's,_" he mused to himself, "_but one day they became blue... and that was some time after she visited Muramasa. Hm, wonder what he said to make her soul change? 'Cause her eyes musta changed at the same time since the eyes are the windows to the soul_."

Walking back towards the entrance, Bontenmaru felt awkward the more time he spent in the cave, wanting nothing more than to escape the newly-made tomb. Upon exiting, Hotaru raised an eyebrow at him.

"Something wrong?"

"What's it to you? She was a good messenger," Bontenmaru said, trying to put her death off as something trivial, "but that's all she was. No need to make it into a big deal."

The wielders of fire and ice nodded, now all three of them turned to the one man they held above them, the slayer of a thousand men, the crimson-eyed samurai Demon Eyes Kyo.

"Whaddya say we do now?" Bontenmaru asked, not that he cared. The three of them would follow Kyo anywhere.

He stood, taking Tenro into his left hand and turning to head in a direction that he'd deemed worthy enough to follow, "Keep moving."

As they left the clearing, avoiding the corpses of those that had fallen by their blades, Akira wondered what would become of this place now that Suzaku had been buried here. She had acted as the messenger of the Four Emperors — well, just the three of them, really — going between them and Kyo. No one ever suspected her of being their messenger, for she had a way of blending in so well that no one really ever noticed she was there. Kyo had hated her for it.

But, then again, Kyo hated everyone.

Except for Suzaku. Neither of the three of them could figure out what it was, but there was something about Suzaku that even Kyo couldn't hate. She could relate to each of them and got along with them easily... not that they'd ever admit that aloud. The fact of the matter was that even Kyo could get along with Suzaku, for he had entrusted her with being his 'cover up' whenever he didn't feel like fighting some of the weaker assassins that came after him from the Mibu Clan.

That was another thing she and Kyo had in common: their hatred for the Mibu Clan. If it was anything Suzaku despised more than having to borrow clothes from Okuni, it was the Mibu Clan. She'd never told them why — and they hadn't asked — but it was a deep-seated thought in her mind that she was supposed to hate the Mibu, and that suited Kyo just fine. The only thing he insisted on was that she leave Mibu Kyoshiro to him, something to which she reluctantly agreed.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Akira noted that Bontenmaru and Hotaru weren't arguing, which happened to be their favorite past time, each one trying to goad the other into a fight; however they didn't seem to have it in them today. Of course, he didn't have it in him to pull them apart, so he supposed that was a good thing. He turned to where Kyo walked ahead of them, wondering just what was going through the samurai's mind right now. How much did Suzaku's death affect him? Sure he would claim he couldn't care less, but Suzaku had put her life on the line by dressing as Kyo at times when he wanted nothing to do with the weaker assassins.

Sighing, Akira set his attention on the road ahead, his unseeing eyes focused on Kyo's back, just as they had been even back when he could see. For some reason, he could still sense Suzaku walking along with them, and the feeling unnerved him. There was no way she could come back to life so quickly, not after just dying, so what exactly was going on?

Then he remembered. Suzaku's soul was restless because she hadn't gotten to touch Tenro one last time. She had always loved Tenro, and Tenro had returned her feelings because it shone so brilliantly whenever Kyo allowed for her to touch it.

But Tenro would never shine that brightly ever again, for Suzaku was dead, and Tenro's glamour had gone to the grave with her.


	3. Stubborn Samurai take 2!

Chapter One:  
Stubborn Samurai

"_Stupid girl, can she ever not complain about everything?_" He thought, closing his scarlet eyes, shaking his head, and then calling out to the loud bounty huntress without turning to look at her, "Oi, Ugly! _Shut up_!"

Silence fell over the group, but, as the saying went: all good things must come to an end...

And end they did.

"Well excuse me for _living_!" Yuya shouted, teeth bared as usual when defending herself from Kyo's insults.

He looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes narrowed, "I can remedy that."

Yuya scoffed, "But you _won't_."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because you said back when we first met that you wouldn't kill me unless I ever changed my mind to seek revenge on my brother's killer. And I _haven't_."

Kyo shook his head again, "For Kami's sake, Girl, learn to breathe when you talk..."

Having had more than her fill for one day, Yuya marched from her place beside Benitora, passed Yukimura, and passed even Kyo, making sure to 'nudge' his shoulder as she went by. Her ponytail swayed back and forth as she walked, her head down like a child in shame. Her walk soon became a run, taking her anywhere but near Kyo.

Everyone looked to Kyo, each trying to gauge what his reaction would be. To their surprise, and disappointment, Kyo did nothing except continue walking, as though certain of himself that Yuya would come back or that they would see her in the middle of the road after having tripped over an unearthed root and crying.

However, neither of the above scenarios occurred, and everyone had to wonder just what the hell was going through Kyo's mind at the moment.

"I can't take it anymore!" Benitora exclaimed, "Are we gonna go after Yuya-han or what!"

"Yes, what _are_ we going to do, Kyo?" Yukimura echoed, his usual smile upon his lips.

After several moments of Kyo not answering, everyone began to lose hope that he even _would_ answer. This assumption was proven correct when a half hour passed and the stubborn red-eyed swordsman still had not said a word.

"It really is quiet around here without Yuya-san," Okuni commented, turning to Benitora, "if you're so worried about her, why don't you go looking for her? I'm sure she'd talk to _you_, Benitora-san."

The tiger's face lit up, "You're right, Okuni-san! I'll do just th..."

"No, you won't," came Kyo's voice, cutting through any happy thoughts the tiger would soon create, "I intend to keep moving without going to look for a loudmouthed, worthless, ugly, stupid girl who couldn't take care of herself for one second alone."

"Well she's alone _now_!" Benitora yelled, his words seemingly getting through to Kyo's head.

"Hn, that isn't my problem. Stupid girl shouldn't start arguments she doesn't intend to finish."

"What do you mean it isn't your problem! _You're_ the one that keeps calling her names that you know damn well aren't true!" Benitora argued, his feet firmly planted in the ground, "And if you won't let me go find her, then _you_ do it, since you're the one who made her leave in the first place!"

"Why the hell should I go out of my way to bring _her_ ass back? If she wants to be alone, I'm not going to complain. Brings about a little peace and quiet for a change."

Bontenmaru grabbed Benitora's shirt collar before the tiger lunged at Kyo and got himself hurt. He flashed the tiger a knowing smile and a wink, a combination of gestures that got Benitora thinking of just what was going through the other man's head.

"Don't waste your time on him. He's just jumpy about this area. It gives him the creeps."

Suddenly Bontenmaru was stopped by Tenro at his throat, the point digging into his neck, "Do you _want_ to die?"

"Aww, but you know it's true, _Kyo-dono_." He mocked, and soon Kyo had sheathed Tenro and was walking again... at a little faster pace than before.

Benitora was fighting back a chuckle as Bontenmaru did his own impersonation of Kyo behind his back, but it was only to cover up his true thoughts. He knew why Kyo wanted to get out of his area so quickly, hell, even _he_ wanted to get out of here. Turning to his left, he saw Akira coming back from wherever he had gone, though the One-Eyed Dragon knew just where the Two Headed Dragon had been.

"And where'd _you_ head off to?" Benitora asked the ice wielder, his voice still edgy since Kyo refused to let him go find Yuya, "Don't you know that Yuya-han is missing?"

"She is? Well I did not see her on my way back."

"That doesn't tell us where you came back _from_."

Okuni put a comforting hand on Benitora's shoulder, "Leave him be, Benitora. He has nothing to do with Yuya-san leaving."

While Okuni and Benitora had their little discussion, Akira and Bontenmaru spoke in hushed whispers, "Well?"

"It's gone." Akira sighed.

Bontenmaru's one eye widened, "What?"

"We knew it would happen."

"Yea, but... where'd it _go_?"

Akira shrugged, "I don't know. I can't even find out how long it's been missing."

The two of them were quiet for some time, as was the entire group. The only sounds were their heavy footsteps on the ground, and they all knew that they were only 'heavy footsteps' because there wasn't a certain blonde-haired, green-eyed bounty huntress to cheer them into livelier spirits. Not even Benitora and Sasuke had struck up an argument yet, and _that_ was saying something.

Trudging along the path that was shown to them by Kyo, Benitora couldn't help but begin thinking the worst had happened to Yuya. He kept thinking that maybe Mibu assassins had captured her or that maybe she'd gotten herself lost and hurt. He sighed, knowing that his thoughts weren't helping his nerves any. He tried telling himself that she was fine, that they'd find her soon, or that she'd come back to them, smile, and tell them that she'd found the most amazing hot spring ever.

But be that true, why did he feel like something bad was going to happen?


	4. Four Points Boys' Home

Chapter Two:  
Four Points Boys' Home

"Stupid, heartless, inconsiderate, jerk!" Yuya exclaimed, kicking a stone out of her path, "Why does he have to pick on me so much? Is there something on my face that screams, 'I'm immature! Pick on me!'?"

She hated times like these. Times when things were quiet and she had some moments to think to herself. She almost wished Benitora were here to spy on her so that she could punch him and be pulled out of her thoughts in the process. Almost.

Sighing, Yuya continued down the path she was on, wondering if there was a hot spring nearby, or else maybe even just a river. What sort of woman would she be if she couldn't find a decent place to bathe?

Of course, she knew what Kyo would say. He asked her all the time what good she was to the group whether she found a hot spring or not. To him, she was just someone to get in the way. Someone that needed to be fed and taken care of at all times. He thought she was a baby, someone that demanded attention all the time. In short, a burden.

And that was all she'd ever be to him.

Yuya stopped as soon as she saw a large building come into view. What could possibly be out in the middle of nowhere? Deciding to find out, Yuya set the building as her goal to reach, telling herself that she wouldn't give one more thought to Kyo or the others until she got there.

Fifteen minutes later...

Reaching the large doors of the building, Yuya leaned against them to catch her breath, looking up to read the faded sign above the door: 'Four Points Boys' Home'.

Blinking, Yuya didn't want her imagination to run wild at the concept of a building full of boys or young men. She'd had it up to the heavens with men for the time being, and she certainly didn't want to run into any more. Turning to leave, a creaking stopped her as the large doors opened and a man of about forty years stepped out.

He wore a simple gray man's kimono with a black obi about his waist. He probably stood at about 5' 5", with dark hair tied into a top knot. His eyes were warm and gentle, there was a certain invitation sort of quality about them.

"May I help you, Miss...?" He asked, stepping further outside of the building.

"Shiina, Yuya," she said with a shake of her head, "and no thank you. I'll just be on my way now."

"You seem tired," he said, no doubt having already guessed she'd been traveling for quite some time, "and a lady should not be out in these parts without an escort. Are you lost?"

"No, I just needed some time to myself is all, Mr..."

He nodded, "Tamanori, Minase. I am the leader of sorts here. And we all need some time to ourselves sometimes. Some of the boys here feel the same way."

"Oh, I thought that this was an..."

"Orphanage?" He asked, opening the door for her and letting her enter first as she nodded, "Well, it is and it isn't. Some of these boys have no place to go; others were sent here by parents that no longer wanted them. But a few of these boys have parents except, like you, they needed time to themselves, so they found their way here. We accept any and all who wish to come here for teaching."

"And what is it that you teach, exactly?" Yuya asked as they went down a hallway, one side open to look out into a courtyard within the building's walls.

He shrugged, opening a door at the end of the hallway, "We teach an assortment of things: mathematics, reading, writing, and even martial arts, to those that are interested."

"Wow, that's quite a range of subjects." Yuya said, taking in the room that she'd been led into.

It was quite a spacious room with several long tables with benches on either side. A few boys were clearing off the tables while others wiped them down to get he crumbs. They wore simple enough clothes: hakama, gi, and some wore the haori, though it was a bit warm for a haori, in Yuya's opinion.

"Welcome to our dining hall," Mr. Tamanori said, "we've just finished lunch, but I can ask our dear chef if he wouldn't mind making one last meal?"

She shook her head, "Oh no, you don't have to do that for me."

"Nonsense, he'd be delighted. We don't get female visitors very often, and he always outdoes himself when we do." Mr. Tamanori said, heading back to where Yuya guessed the kitchen was.

The kitchen was of good size, about the size of a room in a medium-sized house. A wood-burning stove sat against a wall and a boy who looked to be Benitora's age was rearranging the wood pile nearby while some of the other boys that had cleared the tables left the room.

They bowed to Mr. Tamanori as they passed, "Sensei."

At this, the young boy at the wood pile turned and smiled, bowing in turn to Mr. Tamanori and to Yuya, "Afternoon, Sensei, and Miss."

Tamanori smiled, "Toge-san, this is Shiina, Yuya-san. Yuya-san, this is our greatest cook, Senichi, though we call him Toge-san. Toge, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind making something for Yuya-san to eat?"

The boy known as Toge smiled, "No, not at all. The stove's warm enough, I'm sure I can make something that Yuya-san would like."

"You really don't have to go through the trouble," Yuya said, finding it odd that a boy that looked like Benitora would choose to go by the same sort of nickname, "I can just take a piece of bread if you have any?"

Toge smiled as he pulled a pot from a cupboard, "I don't serve bread and water, Yuya-san. Maybe in a soup, but not plain. This isn't a prison, 'ya know."

"Speaking of this place being a prison," Tamanori began, gesturing for Yuya to sit at a smaller table in the kitchen, "have you seen Shinda-san anywhere?"

"Nope. Haven't seen him since this morning." Toge said, cutting some vegetables into the pot after having added water.

Yuya quirked an eyebrow, "Who's this Shinda, Tamanori-san?"

Tamanori sighed, "He came here with Toge about four years ago, a little after the Battle of Sekigahara. They were both wounded and were taken in by the former head of this home, Kagane-sama. By the time I got here, which was two months after Shinda and Toge made themselves at home, I couldn't believe my eyes. Kagane-sama had turned a blind eye to them both, and when I asked him why, he told me, 'Look well at the one named Shinda and tell me if you want to try and stand in his path'. At that particular time, Toge-san was refusing to let Shinda out of the front doors, and somehow the two started sparring."

"And that's how things usually go around here," Toge smiled, "Sama-sama wants to leave, I won't let him, and then we fight."

"That normally wouldn't have surprised me, for as Toge-san says, it happens all the time; except for the fact that Shinda-san was being completely merciless," Tamanori said, shifting in his seat across from Yuya, "it were as though he didn't care whether or not Toge lived. Finally, I hate to say, but Toge knew his limits and eventually allowed for Shinda-san to pass. It was then that I realized that Shinda-san was not one to be taken lightly, for though he looks young, he has lived through much more than I could imagine at the time. Now, though, I have merely accepted, as Kagane-sama did before me, that there is no way to stop Shinda-san when he truly wants something."

Yuya nodded, "That sounds like someone I know. He threatens to cut down anyone who gets in his way, and it usually isn't an empty threat."

"It sounds like Shinda-sama and your friend would get along great," Toge said, setting a bowl of soup in front of Yuya, "or else they'd probably try to kill each other to see who's stronger."

"I'm gonna agree with the second one."

Toge nodded, "Me too."

Just then, the dining hall door opened and hit against the stone wall, and Yuya didn't have to wait long before she saw someone she didn't think she'd see for a good while entering the kitchen, sword held in his left hand.

"K-Kyo!"


	5. Boys Will Be Boys

A/N: All right, so I lied… I'll just post all of the re-write, okay? Tell me what you think, please! O-chan

Chapter Three:  
Boys Will Be Boys

The man in the doorway regarded her with an indifferent look, his orange eyes glaring at her as though she'd just invaded his territory.

Wait... orange eyes?

Mr. Tamanori had stood to nod his head at the young man that had just walked in, a soft smile on his face, "Welcome back, Shinda-san."

Yuya blinked, "What!"

"Yuya-san, meet Shinda-sama," Toge said, gesturing to where the young man stood, "Shinda-sama, this is Shiina, Yuya-san. Just came in a little bit ago. Where've you been?"

The one revealed to be Shinda said nothing, his orange eyes indifferent as he fixed a glare on Yuya, and the bounty huntress had the feeling that he could see right through her, just like Kyo managed to do.

Upon closer look, Yuya saw that Shinda was far shorter than Kyo, about the same height as Mr. Tamanori. He had dark hair with red highlights on either side of his face, having been tied in a sort of bun with the two red strands framing his face, accenting the mixture of amber and orange eyes. His lips were drawn in a fine line, his high cheekbones somehow looking out of place, but Yuya couldn't place what was wrong with him. She looked down at his left hand to where he held his sword, which happened to be only a little shorter than Kyo's Muramasa.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, and Yuya swore that if his eyes were red and his hair were completely black, he would look exactly like a younger version of Kyo in Kyoshiro's body. Even his voice sounded the same.

Realizing he'd spoken to her, Yuya shook her head, "N-no! I was just..."

"You were with a group before. Why are you separated from them?" He interrupted as Mr. Tamanori took his place back at the table.

Yuya felt flustered, feeling a blush rise on her cheeks, "You were spying on me!"

"I wouldn't bother watching you," he said, giving her the once over, "I would have to be blind and deaf to even consider being in the same room as you."

She couldn't believe her ears. He even came up with the same insults as Kyo did. If she didn't know any better, Yuya would have thought Shinda to be Kyo's long lost son. She stared at him in disbelief, watching as he continued to look at her with disinterest.

"So? Where've you been?" Toge asked again, tapping Yuya's shoulder when Shinda made no move to answer, "You gonna finish your soup?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Yuya looked down at her unfinished soup, "Oh! Yes, yes I will. It's very good."

"Of course it is. I made it." Toge smiled, pushing in his chair and grabbing a headband from his pocket and tying it about his head.

Mr. Tamanori looked at Shinda, as though trying to study him to guess his next move, "Might I ask why you were watching Yuya-san?"

"That road is mine." He said, taking a piece of bread and starting to eat it like an apple.

Mr. Tamanori quirked an eyebrow, "And how do you figure that?"

"It's the road that we came on," Toge said, sitting down next to Yuya, "Shinda-sama doesn't like anyone else traveling that road. Or rather, he doesn't trust anyone that comes down that road. Keeps thinking people are following him."

"From four years ago?"

Toge shrugged, watching Shinda out of the corner of his eye, "People that are after Shinda-sama are known to have a waiting period before directly coming after him."

"I see. And you think people are still going to come after you after all these years?"

Shinda continued eating his bread, sword still clutched in his left hand as Toge answered for him yet again, "Of course. That's why people keep coming to ask to 'adopt' him. They only ask for me because they know I won't let him go without me. I'm just the bonus. All they really want is him. I think it's mostly because he got to see Oni-..."

"That's enough, Toge," Shinda said, having finished his bread and was glaring at the tiger, "it doesn't matter what or who I have seen. Let's go."

"Go? Where?"

"Outside so I can break your neck with more witnesses." He said calmly, heading out towards the dining hall, the door slamming behind him.

Yuya gave a mixture of a sigh and a growl, "Gee, what's _his_ problem?"

"He's been through a lot, Yuya-san," Toge said, giving her a questioning look, "how old do you think I am?"

"Excuse me?"

"Just wondering. How old do you think I am?"

"Eh... twenty." She said, watching him nod a little.

"And how old do you think Shinda-sama is?"

"Twenty-two."

Toge shook his head, "Nope. We're only two years apart, and I'm nineteen."

"Oh, so he's twenty-one, then." Yuya said with a smile, finishing her soup.

"Wrong again, Yuya-san." Toge smirked.

About to exclaim how nineteen plus two was twenty-one, Yuya was stopped when Mr. Tamanori spoke, "Don't fall for Toge-san's mind games, Yuya-san. Though they don't look it, Toge-san is nineteen; however, he is also older than Shinda-san."

She blinked, "_What_!"

"Yes, I know it's hard to believe, but Shinda-san is older than he appears. If not in his physical state, then in his mentality for certain." Mr. Tamanori said, gesturing to the door that led back to the dining hall.

Allowing herself to be led through the halls Yuya looked at the stones, one in particular catching her eye, but she didn't feel like bringing it up at the moment. Right now all she wanted was a soft bed with the ability to wake up whenever she wanted. While she'd been lost in her thoughts, she hadn't realized that Mr. Tamanori had been speaking to her.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

He smiled as he stopped in front of a door, "I said you can have this room. You seem so tired, I thought you would want a room away from most of the boys."

"Thank you," she smiled, noticing only one other door in the hallway, "what's that door for?"

"That? That's where Toge and Shinda-san sleep. Shinda hates loud noises, and the other boys aren't exactly the quietest. You don't have to worry about either of them walking in, though. They keep to themselves for the most part. If you hear yelling, just ignore it. Boys will be boys, after all."

She nodded, knowing that fact all too well, "Thank you again, Tamanori-san. You've been a real help to me. If there's any way I can repay..."

"That won't be necessary," he cut in, "just rest. Stay as long as you wish. Shall I send someone to get you for dinner?"

Yuya shook her head, "No thank you. I'm too tired. You can get me up for breakfast, though?"

"All right. I can do that. The bath house is down the stairs to the left of your door if you'd like to use it. If you'd like to take one before bed, I suggest you go late at night. There's an early riser right down the hall and it isn't Toge-san." He said, watching as Toge waved before going into the room he shared with Shinda.

"I'll be sure to do that," Yuya smiled, "thanks for everything."

He nodded and headed back down the hallway as Yuya opened the door to her room and stepped inside. In front of her was a futon, running parallel with the wall to her left. Along the opposite wall was a vanity with a wash basin and a pitcher sitting beside it. Sighing, Yuya shrugged out of her kimono and was about to don the sleeping kimono that had been provided when the door opened and she found herself face-to-face with a half-naked, wet, orange-eyed teenager, quickly covering herself with the sleeping kimono.

"What are you doing in here?"

She blinked. The _nerve_ of him! Oh yes, he and Kyo would _definitely_ have quite the time together.

"Me! Tamanori-san _gave_ me this room!"

"What he didn't mention is that this is my room."

Yuya shook her head, "He said that you and Toge-san shared a..."

"When I feel like it, and when Toge doesn't piss me off. Now out."

Unable to believe her ears, Yuya fumbled for the words to shoot at him, but they refused to escape her throat as she realized something that she'd somewhat overlooked earlier:

He was naked.

All right, he wasn't completely naked, but he might as well have been for all he wore was a white towel about his waist. His hair was also wet, but it had been tied back up into the bun he'd worn earlier. Other than that, Shinda wore nothing, and Yuya had to stop herself from thinking what a certain hitokiri would look like if he were in this situation.

"Well this is _my_ room now. You can have it back when I leave."

"No," he said, taking a few steps towards her, "leave this home and never think of it again. I am warning you; not as someone who gives a damn, but as someone who wants to see his enemies fall within his lifetime, which will not be possible if you remain. Leave, and tell no one that you saw me here. Tell not my name nor what I look like. Do you understand? _Leave this place_. It is the first peace I have ever had, I will not have you bring chaos to it."

Yuya watched as he turned to leave, a scar on his left shoulder catching her eye; however, he was gone before she had the chance to ask him about it, not that he would have told her anyway. It amazed her how alike he and Kyo were, and she figured that, like Kyo, he had his fair share of secrets.

Secrets she was determined to figure out.

But that didn't explain the 'warning' he'd given her. Why would she want to leave a place like this? What sort of enemies could a seventeen-year-old _boy_ have? Besides he was right, the place was peaceful, and she liked it; however the best part about it was:

No Kyo and no Benitora. No one to steal her wallet, no one to spy on her in the bath, and no one to call her names. Pure and utter _peace_ at last.


	6. Yuya's Solution

Chapter Four:  
Yuya's Solution

Benitora sighed for what had to be the umpteenth time that day. They hadn't seen or heard anything as to where Yuya had gone to, and it was making the tiger irritable.

Then again, Kyo, Akira, and Bontenmaru were acting strangely as well, something about the area putting them in a foul mood. Of course, Kyo was _always_ in a foul mood, but it was different somehow. He didn't even bother taunting his enemies before he killed them; just a few flicks of the wrist and they'd be moving on again, leaving a pile of corpses in their wake. It seemed that not even Okuni knew what was going on, and she usually knew everything.

Benitora gave himself a mental shake as he overheard Sasuke talking about a boys' home up ahead. At the mention of the probability that Yuya might have gone there, Kyo got up and began walking, Akira and Bontenmaru following suit.

Okuni and Benitora walked together, the tiger finally feeling good about himself for the first time since Yuya had left them yesterday.

Waking to find herself refreshed and well-rested, Yuya stretched and smiled, glad to have finally gotten the sleep she deserved. Getting up and opening the door, Yuya was surprised to find a new kimono neatly folded. Picking it up, she set it on the dresser and washed her face in the basin after pouring water from the pitcher. Removing the sleeping kimono and changing into the new one, she brushed her hair and tied it in its usual ponytail at the nape of her neck. Smiling at her reflection, Yuya opened the door just as Toge was about to knock.

"Yes?"

"Sensei sent me to get you for breakfast, and also to go to the courtyard once you've finished. Says there's someone that wants to talk to you."

Confused, Yuya just shrugged it off. She was having too much of a good day to let anything ruin it. She allowed Toge to pull out a chair for her at the table in the kitchen, looking hungrily at the plate of eggs he set in front of her. He smiled before going back to the stove to cook everyone's breakfast.

Finding herself extremely hungry, Yuya ate a few more platefuls before deciding that she'd had enough, though she knew she would be having an early lunch. Toge smiled at her again before she left, and two memories struck her at once.

"Is Shinda-san still here?"

He nodded, "Hai. He was about to leave this morning, but I got him to stay after meeting his daily challenge. Why?"

"Oh I just wanted to know. Also," she said, wondering if she would get an answer to her next question, "I wanted to ask about yesterday. You started to say something about why people wanted to adopted Shinda-san and then he stopped you. What were you going to say?"

"I'm really not at liberty to say, Yuya-san. He'd kill me if I told you. He always knows when someone's talking about him. Please don't ask me to tell you."

Yuya nodded, still determined to get the answers she wanted, "All right, that's fine. I'm sure I'll see him later. In the meantime, I'll see to my visitor."

Smiling at her as she left, Toge wondered why she was interested in Shinda all of a sudden; but he soon brushed it off. Everyone was interested in Shinda. He was enigmatic, blunt, and always told the truth. His view on it was that people hated him enough, so why lie on top of all that? Nodding, Toge went back to his kitchen duties.

Walking into the courtyard with minimal help from some boys or a teacher in the hallway, Yuya wondered who would have known she was here. Telling herself that it really shouldn't matter, she kept on her guard anyway, for she never knew if someone from the Mibu Clan would come here to kidnap her and try to bargain with Kyo for his body.

Trying not to let it bother her, Yuya took time to absorb the sight of the courtyard. It was mostly open space with cobblestones laid out except for a circle around the well, which was located in a corner of the yard. There were stone benches positioned around the yard while everything else was open space. Looking around, there were three groups of two boys sparring with one another, their blows light and inaccurate for the sake of keeping one another safe. She also saw that their swords were sakabatou, meaning the sharper side of it was the opposite edge of the blade.

Heading to a bench that was in the shade, Yuya sat down and watched the boys. No matter how hard she tried, though, she couldn't help but think of Kyo and Shinda. Their similarities, their very few differences, and she also thought of just how much better off the group was without her. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Why stay with them if all she ever did was complain about them and weigh them down with unnecessary burdens? Even Okuni, who was only good for information that she gave half the time, could hold her own against an opponent. All Yuya had was her three barreled gun, and an enemy was usually attacking her before she could even think of pulling the trigger.

Kyo was right in wondering what good she was, and she finally had an answer for him and his infamous question: she couldn't do anything and she wasn't any good to anyone.

A pair of approaching sandaled feet pulled her from her self-analysis and as she looked up from the sandals, black men's kimono, five shaku long Muramasa, and all the way up to the crimson eyes, Yuya knew her end had come.

"I... I ... Kyo..." She stammered, and his silence told her she was in for it.

"What do you think you're doing here?" He asked, red eyes narrowed in her direction as usual, "You won't get revenge on your brother's killer sitting here like a corpse."

She would have thrown an insult at him then, and she should have, but she was tired of arguing, "I just want some time to myself."

"We don't have time to sit around an-..."

"I'm not saying you have to stay with me!" Yuya exclaimed, noticing that the rest of the group had arrived. Good, she needed witnesses.

Benitora's face changed from happiness at seeing her in one piece to look of concern, "But Yuya-han..."

"No! I'm sick of having my wallet stolen, sick of camping outside, and sick of when we _do_ find someplace to stay, it's in a _brothel_! I want time _alone_, and you of all people, Kyo, should be able to understand _that_. Not to mention you should have no problem leaving me here!"

"That won't be possible," came a smooth, calculating voice, "you will leave, and that's it."

Turning in every direction to see who had spoken, Yuya was surprised to see a shadowed figure leaning against a wall to her right, "Excuse me?"

The shadow moved forward to show bare feet, black hakama, tanned skin on a bare chest, and bright orange eyes. He had his sword in his left hand as usual, and his eyes were gazing around from Kyo, Yuya, the group, and back again.

"I said that you cannot be left here. I won't allow it. I told you last night that you must leave here as soon as you are able, which seems to be today. You must have gotten plenty of rest last night to have so much energy today, considering you slept in my bed." Shinda said, and Benitora looked ready to have his eyes pop out of his head.

"What!"

Yuya growled, for it seemed Shinda had Kyo's ability to make things sound worse than they were, "Tamanori-san apparently gave me Shinda-san's room to sleep in, even though Shinda _usually_ sleeps down the hall. Nothing happened!"

"Oh? What about when I walked in to find you naked?"

Benitora was going to have a heart attack, Yuya was sure of it. Of course, Yuya herself was about to explode as well. That is, until she saw a smirk cross his face. At least, she thought that's what she saw. Just what was he up to?

"I was changing clothes," Yuya said, trying to calm herself, "and you happened to walk in."

He shook his head, "Everything happens for a reason. Nice scar on your stomach, by the way. Looks painful."

"Just leave me alone!" Yuya exclaimed, her calm dissipating, "Who do you think you are, anyway?"

He did smirk then, and he looked like Kyo's younger brother, "Me? I am Shinda no Kage."


	7. Kyo's Interest

Chapter Five:  
Kyo's Interest

Quirking an eyebrow at Shinda, Yuya could already understand why he was called Shinda of the Shadows. It seemed as though the shadows followed him everywhere. He was dark and mysterious at only seventeen.

"Problem?"

Yuya turned towards Mr. Tamanori's voice as he approached them followed by Toge.

"Yeah there's a prob-..." Benitora began, but was cut off by a voice they knew too well by now.

"No problem, Tamanori-san," Shinda said casually as he looked at Yuya, "she's just plain wrong."

Mr. Tamanori and Toge quirked eyebrows at Shinda's statement, and it was Toge who spoke before Yuya ripped Mini Kyo's throat out, "Whaddya mean that she's 'wrong'?"

"Just what I said. She's wrong. She needs to leave this place, and soon. I will not have her remain here. She cannot just impose herself like this."

Toge looked at his roommate questioningly, "Oh? I would have thought any man who saw this beautiful woman naked would want her to stay."

Yuya blinked. Just what the hell was going on here? These two boys were like miniature versions of her own group, and the 'alliances' were the same as well. The tiger liking the bounty huntress, and the pompous samurai hating everyone. And what was Toge doing bringing up her nakedness!

"Do you really think I have time for such frivolous things?" Shinda asked, his narrowed gaze focused on Toge, "Do you think seeing a woman naked does anything for me? Unlike you, I do not have loins that rise up like a broomstick every time a woman so much as breathes in my direction. I have long grown numb to the effects of women, and have also grown distant from the ways of men. Do not expect me to go down either road again."

"See now, that's your problem, Shinda-sama. You don't let anyone in. You shut us out like we're nothing; but when you need something, we're right there, aren't we?"

Shinda fixed Toge with such a glare that Yuya thought the tiger would snap in half, "Bullshit."

"You wanna run that by me again?" Toge asked, trying to give Shinda a glare of his own and failing miserably, "You've closed yourself to the ways of not only men and women; but the _world_ as well! How can you live like that?"

"That's just it, Toge. I don't live like that: I'm dead. And I don't shut you out and then ask for your help afterwards. If I get myself into a mess, I'll get myself out of it. If you happen to jump in of your own volition, then that's your fault. I have nothing to do with your stupidity, meaning that you are responsible for your own actions. So do you see now? I don't need you, and I never did." Shinda said, his feet squared with his shoulders, his body looking relaxed while his eyes glared daggers at the tiger, who could only look at Shinda with confusion and hurt.

Toge's hands were clenched into fists and Yuya swore he was grinding his teeth into powder. She wished that, like Benitora, she could just go over and try to calm him down, but she barely knew Toge, despite the fact that he and Benitora were like long-lost siblings.

Before Toge could make a reply, Mr. Tamanori stepped forward a little ways, "Now Toge-san, you do remember what happened the last time this happened, don't you? Try not to let it get to you. You know Shinda-san's just messing with you."

"Is that what you think, Old Man? What good will he do me when I go to take down my enemies? If I needed someone specializing in the art of running in the opposite direction of the battle, then I would need him; but I don't. I need him for nothing, it was he who attached himself to my hip ten years ago. I have never gone begging to him for anything."

Hands clenching further, Mr. Tamanori tried again, "Toge, please, this is foolish. I know you haven't forgotten the last time this happened, and if you have, do not make me remind you."

"I remember what happened," Toge began, his teeth clenched, "he about gutted me like a fish and left me on the ground before you found me there. And where was he? Sittin' on the ground in front of a bench watchin' me like he was a hawk and I was his dinner, that sword of his sheathed across his lap while he licked the blood from his fingers."

Something twitched on Kyo's face, but Yuya couldn't tell what it was. All she knew was that everyone in their group was watching the exchange between the two boys, and she knew that most were comparing Toge and Shinda to two of their own, except it was usually Kyo and Akira that ended up arguing.

Looking over at Shinda to study his face, Yuya couldn't believe what she was seeing. The orange-eyed boy was _smiling_. He was only seventeen, barely even a man, and already he was smiling at the thought of licking blood from his fingers. Hell, even Kyo only licked it from his sword.

Thinking of the red-eyed samurai made Yuya wonder just what he was thinking about all of this. The similarities between he and Shinda were obvious, so she thought about what Kyo would do once Toge and Shinda were finished with their squabble.

Yuya turned back to the scene before them and listened to Mr. Tamanori speak, "Exactly, Toge-san. You wouldn't want that to happen again, would you? I know Shinda-san just as you do, maybe a little less, but still. I know how he gets when there is something that he wants that someone else won't let him have. Right now he wants you to understand..."

"Understand? Is that what you think this is about? I just want him to leave me alone is all. That, and I want Ms. Nudist to leave." Shinda said, turning his cynical smirk on Yuya, who was clenching her own fists in an attempt to stop herself from wiping that smirk right off his face.

With that, Shinda turned to leave. Toge looked astonished that the orange-eyed boy would just up and leave like this, but Mr. Tamanori looked as though this was to be expected, and Yuya wanted to just scream at the top of her lungs for all of this to either stop or be explained.

Things moved too fast for Yuya to even see. First Toge was standing within touching distance, and then he was coming up behind Shinda, a mad look in his eye and a large sickle in his hands. Benitora thought that it looked like the one Brother Ghiyo had used, though it was clearly different since this one had a tiger etched into the blade, its right front paw extended to fend off some unknown enemy.

Bringing the sickle down to swipe at Shinda's neck, Toge knew it had been a trap all along once Shinda put his left hand behind his back and crossed his fingers. Of course, that was after he'd turned to the right to elbow Toge in the stomach.

The sickle flew from the tiger's hands and Toge himself landed a few feet away from it on his side clutching his stomach, "What... the _hell_ was _that_ for!"

"For being an idiot," Shinda said as he turned to face Toge, feet still squared with his shoulders, "but I did mean it when I said I didn't need you."

"Oh you need me, _Shinda no Kage_, and I'll show you just how much." Toge said as he picked himself up and grabbed his sickle.

Shinda quirked an eyebrow, "You mean the way you showed me at Sekigahara? Primary example, Toge, congratulations. Were you helping me by losing your stomach on my feet? Or maybe when you got yourself stabbed in the leg?"

Yuya blinked. Sekigahara? Toge would have been fifteen and Shinda thirteen, so why would they have been at the Battle of Sekigahara? And why was Shinda being so mean? Yuya gave herself a mental shake. Asking why Shinda was being mean was like asking Kyo why he hated Kyoshiro: it was just the way he was, like a child knowing who his or her mother was. It was fixed into his mind and his personality. Thinking of Kyo made Yuya look for him.

The nerve of men...

He sat on the bench that she'd originally claimed for herself, his legs slightly apart with Tenro resting against his left knee. Most of their group stood or sat around the bench, Akira and Bontenmaru being the closest to Kyo. Yuya could understand why they were the only ones brave enough to sit near him: he had a look of interest on his face, and when that happened, he was plotting something.

Certain _things_ happened whenever Kyo plotted, and they were usually _bad_ things. Bad for Yuya, anyway, and that meant that her wallet was about to be stolen to cover some sort of miscellaneous expense.

Turning her attention back to the fight between Toge and Shinda, Yuya wondered just what the samurai was thinking and why he seemed so interested in watching the two of them.

Then she saw why.


	8. Toge's Bargain

Chapter Six:  
Toge's Bargain

Toge and Shinda just weren't like the other boys. In fact, they weren't boys at all; they were men. Not even just 'men', either. Despite the fact that they were young, they were strong nonetheless. Yuya could feel their auras just as easily as she felt Kyo's. So easily felt were they that Yuya could _see_ them, Toge's being a forest green and Shinda's being orange with tints of red.

Unlike the other boys that had been fighting, Toge and Shinda didn't bother missing or lessening their blows. They had no need to since Toge seemed to be so upset at Shinda, and Yuya could understand why. She'd been told time and again that she wasn't needed, and she'd gotten angry too; but she hadn't acted upon it. Toge, though, very obviously did act on his feelings. Unfortunately for him, though, acting on his instincts against Shinda made him lose. Badly.

Shinda was ruthless. He was without a doubt, _had_ to be some relation to Kyo. There was _no_ way those two could look and act alike without being related. Yuya even noticed that they walked the same, and Toge had even brought up the fact that they'd seen in Sekigahara together, just as Kyo had been. The two _had_ to have some sort of lineage. Yuya took a few steps towards Mr. Tamanori, intending to find something out.

"Does something trouble you, Yuya-san?"

She nodded, "Hai, Tamanori-san. Has Shinda-san ever spoken to you about his fam-..."

"No," he said flatly, eyes fixed on the still-fighting pair, "when I asked, he dismissed me with a glare and a spin of his sword. If you want to know, just ask him. He'll answer."

She blinked, "What, _now_!"

"Sure. He won't mind. He'll answer you, really. In fact, this would be the best time to ask. The answers just slip from him and he doesn't give his responses any thought before speaking whilst in battle."

Still looking at Mr. Tamanori, Yuya looked at Toge and Shinda, the former looking tired while the latter looked as though he were just waking up. Though tired, Toge's steps were quick while Shinda took slower, more calculated steps, which made Yuya realize something that she'd seen happen with Kyo endless times.

Shinda was playing with Toge.

The thought wouldn't have bothered her as much if the two hadn't been so... young or so close, despite Shinda's efforts to say otherwise. The two were too familiar with one another not to be. The fact of the matter was that Yuya was disgusted by how Shinda had grown before her eyes, becoming a man so quickly as to make her think she'd never seen the teenager in his place.

Deciding to take Tamanori-san's advice, Yuya took a step forward just as Toge took a desperate swing at Shinda's right arm. Shinda's usually orange eyes were a golden color, dancing with concealed excitement, but it was visible to Yuya since she'd traveled with Kyo and others for so long.

"Hey Shinda!" Yuya called, ignoring the look Benitora gave her.

"What?" Shinda asked, his voice casual as he ducked under Toge's scythe to kick him in the small of the back.

He stood there, looking down at her while waiting for her to ask her question. He was intimidating even from where he stood, about ten feet from her, but she wouldn't allow him to know that he frightened her. No, if she wouldn't grace Kyo with knowledge of her fear, then Shinda wouldn't get it either...

Yet even now he was trying to get a frightened look from her. He almost got it.

"Who was your family?"

"My family was a village of warriors, thieves, and murderers." He said, his face relaxed as he shrugged.

Yuya shook her head, "Not who raised you; your blood-related family."

"Warriors, thieves and murderers," he said again, a hint of annoyance in his voice, "my ancestors were great warriors, my uncles and cousins thieving money from my father, and the rest of them murderers for killing my mother and father."

Unable to speak at this revelation, Toge broke the silence, "That's not what you told me! You said that _you_ killed them!"

"I did. I was the reason for their death. As long as I lived, they suffered. Knowing they could not kill me, for none since my ancestors had the skill it required, they turned to my parents instead, knowing they would cause me suffrage in the end. They died so that I may live, and what sort of life have I lived? I live to kill." He said, his voice never wavering, even when he spoke of his parents' death for him. He didn't even so much as move.

Just what was _wrong_ with him? Did he feel no sorrow for the death of his parents? How could he just stand there and say all of that without a hitch in his voice? He was only seventeen! He shouldn't be so accepting of death!

Yuya's inner thoughts didn't matter as Toge and Shinda squared off again, Toge saying something that did not quite process in Yuya's head.

"Whaddya say, Shinda-sama?" Toge was asking, his scythe held in his right hand as he leaned on it, its end stabilized in the ground, "Wanna go at it no holds barred?"

Shinda's eyes shifted to look over Yuya and the group assembled behind her, going back to look at Toge, "I'd rather not. Unlike you, I do not seek to show off my schooling; rather, I would like to keep it a secret unless absolutely necessary. For me, my schooling is for actual _use_; not for showing off in front of visitors."

Toge frowned as Shinda spoke, watching as the younger man turned to leave, hands at his sides as he walked on the pads of his feet, his heels not touching the ground as he walked away.

"All right, fine. How about this: you win, Yuya-san and her friends leave; I win, they stay for as long as they need."

"What! You can't do that!" Yuya exclaimed from her place on the sidelines.

Shinda turned, his orange eyes flickering like flames, "The nudist is right. You cannot go about making a bargain with someone's life that they do not allow you to bargain with. If you wish to hold my interest, pick something else."

"If I win, you let Yuya-san and her friends stay." Toge said slowly, and Yuya was hoping he'd say something else to limit Shinda's reward. He didn't.

"And if I win?" Shinda asked, seeming to have anticipated the same as Yuya.

Toge shrugged, "You pick what you want."

"All right then," Shinda said, fully turning to face Toge, his eyes turning golden once again as he smiled, "should I win, I demand that when next I attempt to leave, you will not stop me from doing so, and so shall it be forever more. Understand? No stopping me whenever I try to leave."

"Now Shinda-san, you can't go about saying things like that. You are in my care and should anything happen to you..."

"Stay out of this Old Man, it is none of your concern. What I do with my body, my time, is up to me. You have no holding over it. What's mine is mine, and I shall relinquish it to no one. That goes for my freedom as well. So what do you say, Toge? A fight with me just the two of us with no rules save for the one I must insist on having."

"And what's that?" Toge asked, absently stroking the scythe's handle.

Shinda shrugged, as though his rule was well known, "Don't be an idiot."

"Heh, I can always count on you for humor among other things," Toge said, his grin growing, "I can't promise anything in the idiot department, but I can say that I won't go down as easily as I did this morning. I've had a good breakfast and lots of time to study you today."

"Study me? You've had ten years to study me, and all of your efforts are fruitless. No matter how strong you get, the gap in our strengths will still be the same. You will forever be the same distance away from me as you are now. You started your training too late. You have not the aptitude or the ability to compete with me in any manner of fighting. You should stick to your strengths, Toge, which seem to me to be running away and storytelling. Stick with those and you should be fine."


	9. No Holds Barred

Chapter Seven:  
No Holds Barred

If Toge was hiding his anger towards Shinda's statement, then there must be a hell of a lot buried beneath the surface. At least, those were Yuya's thoughts as she watched Toge attack Shinda with his scythe swinging and eyes blazing in uncontrolled fury, which made Yuya realize something else:

Shinda had yet to draw a weapon.

He'd only been fighting with his hands and his legs so far, dodging attacks he must have deemed worth enough to counter. This he did now with seemingly little effort, even though Toge — despite his crazed state — made his swings with deadly calculated movements. As to their auras, Toge's swirled about him in a wild maelstrom of forest green with veins of white. Turning to look at Shinda, Yuya barely contained her gasp of surprise.

He didn't have one anymore.

No, wait, that wasn't true. It was there, just barely, and Yuya could only see it if he moved the right way or if she squinted. It just hovered over his skin, clinging to his body enough to make him look like something otherworldly. Of course, his mannerisms were certainly from another world, they had to be, considering that he acted like Kyo, who Yuya suspected must have been born in Hell. That _so_ counted as another world as far as Yuya was concerned.

Looking from Shinda's emotionless expression to Toge's look of determination, Yuya thought she saw a look of desperation pass over the tiger's features, and even Yuya knew that desperation would make a person do crazy things.

She was an expert.

"What does someone like you know of the world? You were cast from your family with nary a..."

Toge's latest statement seemed to irk Shinda the most. How could Yuya tell? Perhaps because aforementioned bounty huntress was glued to the ground by a raging aura the color of red-gold. It was the same feeling she got whenever Kyo got upset, which shouldn't have surprised her since she'd already decided the two had either been separated at birth or Kyo was hiding a son. Strong arms were helping her up and she turned to thank Bontenmaru, who only nodded and turned to look back at the two who had been standing still before she'd met the ground.

Moving over to where Mr. Tamanori stood, Yuya watched the older man's face as she heard ringing of metal. She blinked when she turned to see what was going on.

Shinda stood over Toge with the tiger's own scythe pressing against his neck. His face was void of any emotion, and Yuya thought that this was the face of a young man who had seen many things in his short lifetime, none of them good. Toge, on the other hand, looked terrified. Who wouldn't be when their own weapon had been turned against them? A small trickle of blood ran down Toge's neck as he looked up at Shinda, whose eyes seemed focused elsewhere.

"Funny how I thought you knew better than to bring up my ostracism. Besides, I wasn't cast out; I chose to leave."

"Yea right! Your family probably kicked you out after your parents..."

The blade pressed harder onto Toge's neck as Shinda looked to Mr. Tamanori, "I don't think he's learned quite yet that if he expects to keep his head, he needs to stop bringing up things that piss me off."

"Please, Shinda-san, let him go. You couldn't possibly kill him. He's your friend."

"He attached himself to _me_. To him, I am his friend; to me, he is not _my_ friend. I never asked him to come along. He just follows me everywhere. _I never asked for this_." Shinda said, and Yuya had the distinct feeling that he wasn't just talking about Toge's following him.

"That may be so, Shinda-san, but neither did he. He never asked to have a scythe at his..."

"Oh yes he did," Shinda smirked, "he's been askin' for this for a _long_ time. This is a long time comin', let me tell you. He wanted no holds barred, and that's what I gave him. For us, 'no holds barred' goes along with a fight to the death. He lost, so now he dies."

Raising the scythe to finish the task, Yuya didn't know what prompted her to speak, "Wait! If you don't kill him, I'll leave! We'll all leave!"

The scythe stopped in the middle of his downward swing as red eyes turned to Yuya, "How _honorable_ of you; but this fight was to determine whether you stayed or I gained freedom. This fight has been lost, and so he will die. It's our unspoken agreement."

"But I'm sure you've fought other times and you haven't killed him!"

"We had a bargain. He broke his end. We've fought. He lost. He dies."

Shinda spoke with such clarity that he almost made sense, "But he considers you his _friend_!"

"And as I told Tamanori-san, I don't consider him _my_ friend. The friendship is null."

"If you don't kill him, what do you want in return? Do you want me to leave?" Yuya asked, feeling as though this were all her fault... which in Shinda's eyes, it was. She was sure of it.

He quirked an eyebrow at her, "Persistent, aren't you?"

"Yu...ya-san..." Toge croaked, seemingly surprised that Shinda had stopped his swing, "Shinda-sama doesn't... work that way."

Shinda straightened, the butt of the scythe resting next to Toge's neck as the orange-eyed boy looked at Yuya intently, "If I don't kill him and allow you to stay, you will owe me any favor I want. _Any_ favor. I will name it whenever I choose to redeem it."

"No way! Yuya-han's not like that!" Benitora exclaimed as he stepped in front of the bounty huntress.

He quirked an eyebrow, "Do you really think I'd ask her for _that_ sort of favor? Honestly, why does everyone think I'd even look at her twice? Or once, for that matter?"

Just barely resisting the urge to punch him, Yuya spoke through gritted teeth, "_All right_."

"You don't sound very willing." Shinda smirked.

"I agree to your terms." Yuya said, really wanting to kill the young man before her.

"Good," he smiled, throwing the scythe and watching it embed itself in the opposite wall, "get up and retrieve your weapon. While you're at it, take care of your garden sector. The weeds are overrunning everything. Go."

Yuya blinked, "What? Just like that? You're letting me stay?"

"That was the deal, wasn't it? Are your wits so lacking that you've already forgotten? Don't worry, I won't let you forget."

Benitora looked about ready to strangle Shinda, "Be nice to Yuya-han!"

"Why? Are _you_ going to bargain with me, too? Watch your tongue around me, _Crimson Shadow_. Unless you _want_ everyone to know who you are, then I would need no other persuasion to tell them. Your call."

Looking absolutely mortified, Toge said nothing as Shinda turned to leave once again, a loose strand of hair having escaped his tight bun while the red strands of hair that framed his face blew in the wind, making him seem all the more defiant and dangerous. Yuya frowned. He'd been carrying a sword when he'd shown himself to them, but he didn't have it now. Where and when had he put it down? There were too many mysteries surrounding Shinda.

Turning around to look at the rest of their group, Yuya saw that Kyo was still smiling and Akira was whispering something. Kyo gave a nod and Akira was headed in the same direction that Shinda had headed off in.

"What's going...?" Yuya began as Bontenmaru cut her off.

"Just leave it, Yuya-chan. It's nothing you want to get involved in. Akira just wants to ask that Shinda kid some questions, we need to figure somethin' out."

Yuya nodded, "All right. Anything you _can_ tell me?"

He thought on this for a moment, "There's a reason why Kyo, Akira and I don't like this area, it's got somethin' to do with a big thing that happened four years ago. Right now we're thinkin' that that Shinda has dug up a past we thought long buried."

((August 14, 2006)) A/N: This is all I have for now. Chapter Eight is in progress, & I can't give you an estimate of how long it'll take for it to be finished, but that all depends on if you like this version or not. I really hope you do, because I know I like it a whole lot better since it's actually _going _somewhere. Thanks!

O-chan


	10. Not Entirely Lifeless

Chapter Eight:  
Not Entirely Lifeless

"Yuya-han?"

Yuya looked up as Benitora sat down a little ways away from her, "Hm?"

"It's about what you said earlier today," he began, shifting a little, "about having your wallet stolen, camping outside, and all that. I don't know how to make any of that better for you — Kyo-han's really good at gettin' your wallet — but if there's anythin' I can do for you, I want you to know that I will."

She had to smile, "Thanks Benitora... but, uh, where do you think your hand is going, hm?"

"Aww, c'mon, Yuya-han...!" He exclaimed as he sailed over the walls of the boys' home.

Rubbing her knuckles and sighing as she sat there overlooking the courtyard, Yuya wondered just what had happened with Akira and Shinda, if anything had happened at all. The wielder of ice had returned for a few minutes claiming that he hadn't been able to locate the enigmatic Mini Kyo. Of course, he hadn't called him Mini Kyo, but still. He'd left again after stealing a bread roll from Bontenmaru's plate.

Shinda.

The very word meant "dead" or "lifeless", traits that Yuya could see clearly within the young man who had assumed the name. Of course, Yuya knew that even he couldn't be completely devoid of emotion, for he'd shown anger when Toge had irked him. Still, he presented a puzzle to the bounty huntress, for she never knew what he'd say or do next. Not that she really _wanted_ to know, of course, but it sure would help the next time she made a bargain with him.

Stupid bargain...

Just as she was going to continue on that train of thought, laughter caught her attention. It was quiet, like someone was sharing a funny story that they didn't want anyone else to know. Leaning forward to peer over the railing of the balcony, Yuya looked down into the courtyard and had to stop herself from exclaiming.

Toge carried someone on his shoulders, someone wearing black hakama, no sandals, no gi, and two strands of red hair that framed his face.

Surely the gods were toying with her...

The two of them were acting as though they hadn't just fought to the death earlier that day. Toge was laughing about some comment he'd made and Shinda was smiling while riding on his shoulders. They looked like brothers, and Yuya had to wonder if maybe Shinda didn't have some mental disorder that made him have two different personalities. Yes, that would explain a lot. A good side and a bad side, but be that true, wouldn't either side have developed a name of its own according to theory? Maybe he was an exception to that rule...?

Glancing about for anyone watching, Yuya slipped from their balcony to get a better vantage point. She wanted to hear every word, not knowing why she even cared, but if something could make the lifeless one laugh, it must be highly cynical indeed, though she didn't think Toge would make such a comment. Having found a good ledge from which to watch and listen, Yuya made herself comfortable.

"So then I told Tamanori-san the story of Koru, Renji and I. You remember that one, don't you?"

Shinda's eyes narrowed in thought, "Is that the one where you all dressed as women and tried selling perfume to bandits or is it the one where you tried to substitute candles with fireworks?"

"Neither," Toge smirked as Shinda hopped down and walked beside his friend, "it's the one where we glued everyone's cups to the table at court."

Yuya frowned. At court? What court was he talking about? Couldn't be the current one...

Shinda laughed again, "At court? Who'd you blame it on?"

"I don't know. We left before anything really happened. We hid in the surrounding trees, though. You shoulda seen their faces!" He laughed, and it was then Yuya saw the packs he carried, "Say, where were you during all that?"

"How old were you?"

"Koru and I were ten, and Renji was eleven. So you were eight."

He thought for a moment, "What season was it?"

"Spring."

"I was nine, then. You all were born in summer," Shinda said thinking some more, as though the memory were hard to find, "in the spring of my ninth year, I was... dammit, where _was_ I?"

"You don't remember?"

"No I... I don't remember anything before the Battle of Sekigahara. I used to know..."

"When was the last time you remembered anything before Sekigahara?"

Shinda looked up at Toge as the two of them stopped, the orange-eyed boy having a look on his face that was probably as close to mortified as Shinda could get, "Yesterday."


	11. On a Journey

Chapter Nine:  
On a Journey

Yuya felt a twinge of guilt in her chest, and she couldn't identify why. It wasn't as if _she'd_ caused his sudden lapse of memory, despite the fact that she'd arrived yesterday and that also happened to be the last time he'd ever remembered anything from before Sekigahara. She had _nothing_ to do with it. She made sure to repeat it a second time just for good measure.

Taking another look at the two of them, she saw that Tamanori-san had come out to greet them. He was wearing his usual men's kimono, his hair wet from probably having been in the bath house or something. She leaned closer to better hear what they were saying.

"You're on your way, then?" Tamanori-san asked, raking his fingers through his wet hair.

Both boys answered simultaneously, "Hai."

"Good, good. I hope to hear from you often. What should I tell those who would seek you?"

Toge smiled, "Just tell 'em that we went on vaca-..."

"We died."

Both Toge and Tamanori-san did a double-take, and Yuya had to stifle an exclamation, "What!"

"All right, _I_ died and Toge is attending my funeral after which he will never be seen walking among populated areas ever again," Shinda said, turning to go to the gates that would take he and Toge outside of the boys' home, "we'll be going now."

Toge barred the way with his arms outstretched, "Hold it! Does this mean we're not coming back here?"

"That's right."

"Then why didn't you gimme more time to pack!"

"What are you? A woman? Need to pack all of your knickknacks and memories? I said we're going. At least I didn't kill _you_ off, though the idea has its merits right about now," Shinda said, a hand knife suddenly in his right hand, "out of the way."

"No! I like it here, and you told me the other day that you liked it, too! I'm _not_ leaving!"

"We don't have a choice, you idiot. Do you think _I_ want to leave the one place I ever thought I was safe? Well it's _not_ safe, not anymore."

"Are you saying...?"

"That's right," Shinda snapped, pushing Toge out of the way with his aura, "we've been found."

There was an odd silence, and even Yuya — perched up high though she was — could feel the tension in the air, a tension Tamanori-san attempted to cut through, "Best be on your way, then. Though I know the chance is highly unlikely, I do hope to see you again. Try to stop by if you can, even if you can't let me know it's you."

"I'll try." Toge said immediately, and the look on Shinda's face was, to Yuya, unreadable.

"I... I," Shinda began, apparently unable to meet the elder man's gaze until he tried again, "you know I can't promise you anything, and I wouldn't even if I could. As I told you earlier, I might as well be dead. It's better that way. I came to you here, wounded or ill beyond healing, and I died in the middle of the night. You burned my body and Toge fled the night after. End of story."

Tamanori-san nodded, "Very well. Will you at least think of your time here? Maybe think of the brief moment of peace you had here? Kagane-sama told me there may be a time when you decided it was time to leave. I suppose I only wished it hadn't come so soon."

"I've tarried here long enough. I don't need to burden anyone else with my existence. I need to find out what this means." He said, pulling out an old, wrinkled piece of paper with the words 'Suzaku-san' printed on it.

Toge's eyes narrowed in concentration at the piece of paper, "Where'd you get that? Was that there when you woke up?"

"Hai. When I woke, I found this in my hand. I need to know what it means, why I have it, and who gave it to me. All it tells me to do is to make my way someplace, and then wait there. Doesn't tell me how long, why, or anything. Just tells me to do it. Apparently whoever gave it to me didn't know that I don't follow orders very well." Shinda smirked, his orange eyes glinting gold.

Up on her perch, Yuya had to wonder what in the world was going on. Someone had given Shinda a piece of paper addressed to 'Suzaku-san', and, by the looks of the paper, Shinda had 'woken' a few years ago, whatever that meant. So did that mean Shinda went by the name Suzaku? Or was he just supposed to deliver the message?

Having had enough mystery and intrigue for one day, Yuya snuck from her hiding place and went back to her room, glad that she hadn't run into anyone along the way, or else she knew she'd have been questioned as to whereabouts she was coming from. Unbeknownst to Yuya, however, a certain pair of demon eyes had watched her leave.

He'd been watching her out of the corner of his eye while really only half listening, just as he usually did. He spoke when spoken to, and sometimes not even that. Let her think she'd been the only one to know of her spying. Let her think she'd been the only one to hear the exchange from down below.

The demon eyes blinked, but another pair of eyes blinked at the same time.

One pair orange, the other pair red.

Their gazes met across the distance that separated them, and in that small crossing of visual paths, both knew most everything they needed to know about the other. They gave the barest of nods, and turned to part ways. The red pair turned to the group that followed him — he refused to say that the group was one he traveled with. _They_ followed _him_.

"We're leaving tomorrow." He said, resting his sword between his knees as he sat down.

"Where to, Kyo-han?"

"The Sea of Trees."

Those that followed him nodded, but only two knew the significance of such a destination at this point in time. Akira and Bontenmaru gave small smirks, each of them eager to leave for their own personal reasons.

--------------------

"So, uh, Shinda-sama?" Toge asked once as he and Shinda had passed the gate and were headed into the forest to wherever it was Shinda's note said to go.

"What?"

"You never told Tamanori-san where it was we were going. Mind tellin' me?"

"I didn't tell him because I didn't wish to worry him. He's getting old, he doesn't need that sort of worry."

Toge gulped, "What about me, though, huh? Can you tell me?"

"If I must," he said, bracing himself on a tree trunk before stepping over a large boulder as he turned to look over his shoulder, "we're going to the Forest of Death."

"You can't mean...?"

He nodded, "Of course I do. We're going to Aokigahara, the Sea of Trees."

((Sept. 5, 2006)) A/N: Finished this yesterday, I hope you like it & apologies for deleting the chapters from the first version of this story, but I was tired of seeing 15 chapters when really there are only 9. I do hope you enjoy this version better, as I do, but not everyone has the same tastes, ne?

I want to say something about the end of this chapter, when it says: "Unbeknownst to Yuya, however, a certain pair of demon eyes had watched her leave," I never specify which demon-eyed man is watching her, & you're left to guess whether it's Kyo or Shinda. Though it's led to believe it's Kyo since I later say that "he" turned to the ones that followed him, I just want to say this:

They were both watching her, hence why I wrote: "One pair orange, the other pair red." It just makes sense, ne? So I hope you don't get confused as to who saw her leaving her hiding place. They both did.

Thank you!

O-chan


	12. Dyeing

Chapter Ten:  
Dyeing

"If you think for _one_ minute I'm setting foot in that hell hole, you're fucking crazy!"

"Not like you have a choice."

"Who says?"

He turned, lifting his head to meet Toge's gaze, "If you want to go back so badly, turn around and go. Just find your way back. Go on, shoo."

Turning to do just that, Toge realized how cleanly they'd cut through the woods, nary a tree branch bent the wrong way to even begin indicating which way they'd come, meaning he had no chance of finding his way back without falling off several of the cliffs they'd passed on their way here. He guessed them to be about fifty miles from the boys' home already, what with the pace Shinda had set, damn him.

Sighing, Toge fell in behind his friend and immediately his thoughts turned to the night before, back when Shinda had revealed that his memories of anything before Sekigahara had suddenly left him the day before.

The day Shiina, Yuya-san had come.

Toge shook his head to clear it, just barely dodging a branch aimed for his face. He refused to believe that Yuya-san had anything to do with it. He was sure that Shinda would like to add it to his 'Reasons to Hate Shiina, Yuya' list, but even he had no proof that it was true. But there was no evidence that it wasn't true, either, which worried Toge. He didn't want Shinda to have anything against Yuya-san, she was a nice woman, undeserving of Shinda's anger. If anything, he wished Shinda would be angry with him, just for fighting to have Yuya-san stay with them. Ha, a woman in an all boys' school.

He wasn't laughing,

Heaving another sigh, Toge focused his thoughts instead on Shinda and their problems. From what he remembered from four years ago — which wasn't very much — Toge recalled having found Shinda wandering about wearing tattered clothes and looking as though he'd nearly frozen to death, which had confused him since it was the middle of summer.

He and Shinda had left their city years ago, each of them joining the military before being transferred to different units. While Toge had spent most of his time in the infirmary, Shinda had been on the battlefield before having met up with a band of those he called, 'the four riders of the Apocalypse', for as he'd worded it, the four men he'd met had enough power to destroy the world. Toge had merely accepted this, for it was just like Shinda to make an agreement with such men. Shinda had been appointed as their messenger, going between the leader and the other three. He'd said that there was one more, but that he'd never met this last one. He'd even had an invitation to take the last one's place, but had declined it, saying he wanted to make a name for himself on his own, just as their leader had done.

Toge had never been able to learn much more than that. Shinda had traveled around with them for a time before disappearing suddenly, only reappearing when Toge had found him clutching a piece of paper marked 'Suzaku-san' about 9 months after his disappearance. Though he didn't look as bad as some of the other times Toge had seen him, something was disturbing about him, as though he were missing a part of himself, had lost it sometime between leaving the city and meeting up with Toge there in the woods, his orange eyes looking dull, soulless, and so very empty.

He never wanted to see that again.

But then, that was Shinda's way. He reveled in pain, and had even claimed to feel more alive when in pain. To someone who'd named himself "dead" or "lifeless", he supposed even stubbing a toe was consider to be enough to feel alive. Then again, Toge doubted Shinda had ever been so clumsy as to stub a toe. The man had more grace, balance, and elegance than a cat.

Despite Shinda's way with the sword, Toge even went so far as to doubt that his companion had ever cracked a knuckle, whether intentional or by accident. Through all the threats, Toge's near-deaths at the end of Shinda's blade, and even through his tough exterior, Shinda came from a rich family. With his parents dead, Shinda had every right to claim his fortune.

"_If he can get past his aunts and uncles_." Toge thought as he ducked beneath a branch that Shinda could just walk under… must be nice to be short.

Since learning the truth about the deaths of Shinda's parents, it made sense that they'd allow him to claim his rightful place… after completing a certain task that not even Toge knew.

"China."

Toge shook his head in an effort to clear it, "What?"

"That's where I was at age nine. I had been told that there was an astronomer there who wished to tell me some important news. It was too important to send in a mere letter, and so he had summoned me to him, and I went."

"What did he tell you?" Toge asked, intrigued by Shinda's sudden openness.

"Mostly things I already knew. Things about my aunts and uncles taking over — never elaborated how — and then the other thing has not yet come to pass," he said, shifting the sword on his back as he walked under yet another branch that made Toge bow down to it, "so I won't speak of it until I'm sure it _will_ come to pass."

"Nervous?"

"Cautious."

"Superstitious?"

"To an extent."

"Ah," Toge nodded as they approached the village that they were supposed to have been going to rather than Aokigahara, "Tamanori-san will still want us to do our thing here. We've got the papers for it."

"You know I'll condemn you to Hell."

"I've already been condemned there… by none other than you, of course. Several times, in fact."

Shinda sighed, "You're not going to come to Aokigahara if I don't do this for you, right?"

"I actually hadn't thought about that, but since you brought it up…"

"All right, all right. How long will we be here?"

"Just a little while, I swear."

"And how long is 'a little while' to you? Four or five days?"

Toge grimaced, "Um… two weeks?"

There was a dagger at his throat, "I'll give you one. One week here and then we go to Aokigahara. Understand?"

"Yea. Sure. Gotcha, Shinda-sama. No problem."

"Good."

Leading the way into the village by the light of the oncoming dawn, Shinda quickly scanned the area as he usually did, checking — in Toge's opinion — to see if any of his family had come to ambush him or whatnot. He wouldn't go so far as to say that Shinda was paranoid so much as he was just… aware. Especially in new places. He always checked everything, had to know everyone. A curious cat, Shinda was, and they both knew what curiosity did to a cat…

"Hey, uh, Shinda-sama? Think you could tone down the investigation?" He asked, watching his comrade crawl out from under a rack of firewood.

"Why? I need to know my surroundings."

"Under firewood?"

"It leads to a crawl space beneath that building," he said, pointing to the building where the firewood was stacked beside, "big enough for twenty. Hasn't been used in years. We'll reside there."

"Oh no we won't. we're gonna sleep on warm futons, a comfy pillow, and none of that rugged outdoor stuff."

"_You_ sleep inside, then."

"We hafta sleep in the place. Same room, too. Even, um, the same bed. Tamanori-san made the arrangements, not me." Toge added quickly as he'd noticed Shinda's aura being drawn further into his body so as to be undetectable… a sure sign that he was pissed.

He calmed slightly, "Next time I see him, I'll kill that man. Then _I'll_ make the arrangements."

"Then you're gonna hate him even more when you see the names he's give us… plus the reason why we're here." Toge said as he gave Shinda their traveling papers.

"The man gets worse than death," Shinda said at last, having glanced over their papers, "I'll hang him from a tree over a cliff by fine twine and have him hanging by his…"

"C'mon, Shinda-sama. If we're going to accomplish this, you have to get moving." Toge said as he handed his companion the extra bag he'd brought while herding him back into the woods to change.

30 minutes later…

"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill the next person — and all thereafter — who so much as _breathes_ on me."

Toge tried to chucked, but decided not to hold his breath, "Not without your weapons. Can't do anything without those."

"One: who said I gave them all to you? Two: who told you that I needed weapons to kill? Three: my hands are never empty. So do you feel as secure now?"

"Nope." Toge admitted with a gulp.

"Tell me again _why_ I'm blindfolded."

They stopped in front of the door, "Because your eyes are recognizable and it'll give you an excuse to stay in the room all day. Now sshhh!"

"Don't you tell me to…" Shinda stopped when he heard Toge knock on the inn's door.

An elderly man answered, "Why hello there! You must be the newlyweds Tamanori-san mentioned. Welcome, welcome!"

Despite the warm welcome, Shinda was really starting to hate elderly men. Tamanori-san especially, and all those who considered him 'friend'. He should have discussed his plans with them before passing them as newlyweds. He wouldn't have minded passing as Toge's brother; but as Toge's _wife_? _That_ was pushing it.

"Thank you for having us," Toge was saying as they were ushered into a warm room, Toge holding onto Shinda's elbow, and someone — the old man's wife, he assumed — was touching his hair and prattling about something or other, "my wife and I can't thank you enough for taking us to early in the morning."

"You really do have lovely hair, uh…"

"Ah, Imari, meet Shirogane, Toge and Shira-san. And do forgive us for not introducing ourselves. I am Ryushi and this is my wife Imari. It isn't often we have visitors, so first names are just fine by us."

Another thing about the elderly: they were too damn friendly and not honest enough. The only reason Shinda could think of for them not to give last names was because they were wanted criminals. He'd have to research an Imari and Ryushi.

They were being led elsewhere now, Toge mumbling something about stairs, so Shinda assumed they were being taken to their room. It was odd, he mused, to wear a woman's _kimono_. He was getting memories, however, of a time when wearing a woman's _kimono_ had been common practice, though the reason why still eluded him. At least Toge had let him wear _hakama_ underneath, as well as his bandages about his wrists and ankles. Loathe though he'd been to admit it — especially to Toge — Shinda had always had weak wrists. He had even weaker ankles, which should have made it nigh impossible for him to be the swordsman that he was; but if it was anything Shinda knew about pain, it was this:

It could be ignored.

"We hope you find your room to be to your liking; if it isn't, we will do anything we can to make your week here a most comfortable one."

Shinda rolled his eyes from behind his blindfold, listening to the door close and their hosts' feet going away from their room. Probably looking for a wallet to pilfer. He heard Toge sigh.

"Well? Whaddya think?"

"About the load of bullshit we were just given? Let me see… that would be Grade A bullshit, ten out of ten. As to the people themselves, keep your wallet close." Shinda commented dryly as he removed the blindfold to narrow his orange eyes in Toge's direction while standing in front of a desk.

Toge was looking out the window, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Your hair. Why didn't you tell me that it was dyed?"

"Never came up," Shinda said, fingering the dark red strands absently, "I don't even remember when I started dying it black or why. I just kept doing it every morning. Get up early, mix the dye, and then have black hair until my evening bath. I just woke up one morning and had the desperate need to have black hair."

Toge turned to look at Shinda, whose hair was loose about his shoulders, the tips touching the backs of his thighs. It was dark red in color, or maybe a vermillion. Whatever the color, it showed his orange eyes like beacons, as though they were on… fire.

Hot, burning, endless fire. A fire that could consume anything placed in its path. There was only one other man that Toge knew of with eyes like those. Toge had seen him at Sekigahara, and his hair was just as red. Shinda had _met_ him. _Spoken_ to him. _Fought_ with him.

Had walked away alive and in one piece.

But he didn't remember.

"Onime no Kyo…" Toge breathed, seeing a flicker of recognition in Shinda's eyes at the mention of the name.

Right before he hit the ground.


	13. Yuya's Backfire

**Chapter Eleven:**

**Yuya's Backfire**

"Whaddya mean 'he's not here'! Where'd he go! I'll kill him for what he said to Yuya-han!"

Bontenmaru rolled his eye and he was sure Akira was doing the same. Kyo was having a little morning sake — courtesy of Yuya, who didn't yet know she was buying — and Yukimura was dipping into his own bottle… though he paid on his own, wanting to save Yuya's wallet.

"Do you think we'll see him again?" Akira asked quietly.

"Oh yea. He has to."

"What has you so sure?"

"We're going to Aokigahara. First you tell me that it's gone, and now we're goin' to Aokigahara. It's gotta be Suzaku-san 'cause there's nothin' else I can think of. Plus, Kyo looks almost antsy to get leavin'."

"We shouldn't jump to conclusions, Bon. You know what will happen if news gets out that Suzaku-san is back."

Bontenmaru shrugged while Benitora continued arguing with Tamanori-san. Yuya ate breakfast between he and Sasuke, and Okuni was nowhere to be found. Yuya, who seemed unaffected by Shinda and Toge's departure, was unusually quiet. She wasn't even trying to engage Kyo in any sort of conversation, which was sort of depressing, since Bontenmaru liked to watch the red-eyed samurai evade the blonde bounty-huntress' questions. It was probably the best entertainment he knew of… at the moment. Until news of Suzaku's return got out. Then there would be one more to pick on.

"Well where'd he go?" Benitora demanded, and Yuya looked ready to either plug her ears or punch the tiger… most opted for the latter.

Tamanori-san shrugged, "He told me nothing of where he was going. All Shinda-san said to me was that he had a note from someone and it told him to go meet them somewhere. He told me neither person nor place."

"Was there anything written on the note that you could see?" Akira asked, and Bontenmaru knew the ice-wielder was trying to prove him wrong.

"Hai," Tamanori-san nodded a smile on his face, "it was addressed to a 'Suzaku-san'. Do you know of it?"

Bontenmaru smiled, "Heh, I'm the one that wrote it."

Yuya became more alter at this. Bontenmaru had been the one to write the note that Shinda had? Dating all the way back to… and Shinda—as of last night—couldn't remember anything from before Sekigahara. So maybe instead of it being _her_ that had caused his lapse of memory, maybe, just maybe, it was Bontenmaru's fault? Perhaps Shinda's problem was caused by meeting those from his past? A past he didn't seem to enjoy.

"_I didn't ask for this_."

That was what he'd said, leaving Yuya to guess at his meaning. Of course, having one's parents killed by other family members probably wasn't the best way to live one's life. Still, how had Shinda and Bontenmaru known each other? Had they met during Sekigahara? Before? After, maybe?

"Ah, this reminds me," Mr. Tamanori began, "I did assign them to visit an inn and to do some work. I'm sure they won't do it, though. Especially under the conditions I set."

"If they did do as you asked them, though, how long do you think they'd stay?" Yuya asked, trying to gauge whether or not they could catch up to them.

"Knowing Shinda, the most amount of time he'll allow Toge to talk him into staying is a week. He never stays any longer than that. This home was the only exception."

"How far away is it from here?" Bontenmaru asked, knowing how Kyo wanted to get going, but they needed to know the basics first.

Mr. Tamanori shrugged, "About twenty, thirty miles. They've probably already made themselves comfortable. Shinda-san always sets a fast pace and Toge hates him for it...among other things."

Grabbing Tenro from where it had leaned beside him, Kyo rose from his seat and began walking, despite not knowing which way the boys had gone.

"They headed that way." Mr. Tamanori said as Yuya and the others followed his pointed finger... which was the opposite way of where Kyo was walking.

"Thank you, Tamanori-san, but it seems Kyo's got his own pla..."

"Bring him to me," Kyo spoke without turning to face them, "Bon, Akira, you know where I'll be."

Akiba and Bontenmaru nodded; Yuya, however, was _not_ going to let this one go, "Whaddya mean by _that_! If anything, you're comin' with us or we're going with _you_! End of story!"

Kyo turned and Bontenmaru blinked, "Uh, Yuya-chan...?"

"I told you that I'm not about to let a bounty like yours just walk away!" Yuya snapped angrily, realizing too late that her previous statement had sounded too much like an admittance of some sappy romantic kind. Best keep it as professional as possible.

Professional — ha! — right. If this was strictly business, why did her chest do flip-flops whenever he turned those ruby eyes towards her, like now? It was simple, she tried rationalizing. Rubies were gems, and gems brought riches. Money. There, situation solved.

If that were true, however — and some nagging little voice in her head had the nerve to vehemently insist that it wasn't — why did his voice lull her into calm? Almost to the point where she could fall asleep just listening to him? She'd never have allowed such a thing to happen before, so what had changed? Oh she knew what had changed, but she'd just as soon marry her brother's killer — Mibu Kyoshiro — before she'd admit it.

"Yuya-han?"

She blinked, those scarlet eyes still watching her as Benitora practically danced about her like a starved mosquito, "I'm not moving unless your _hitokiri_ ass is with me so I know where that one million ryo bounty is."

"And just what do you plan to do if I challenge your 'request'?" He asked calmly, still looking at her from over his shoulder.

She squared her shoulders and put a determined look on her face, "I'll challenge you right back."

Kyo wasn't the only one to quirk an eyebrow. The red-eyed samurai even turned to face the bounty huntress, an accomplishment in itself.

"You? Challenge me? You try to pass those poor excuse for breasts as melons when they're only apples. You, who can't even grow proper breasts, challenge _me_?"

She growled at him, pulling on her kimono as she always did whenever he brought up her "less than proper" breasts, "I bet you that I can keep my wallet away from you until we defeat Nobunaga If I win, I get to turn you in, get my bounty, and live a life without needing to worry about said wallet getting stolen."

"And if you lose?" He asked, using Tenro as a walking stick to lean on cockily.

Certain she had the best hiding place, she shrugged and refrained from smiling, "Set your own terms."

"Uh, Yuya-chan?" Bontenmaru began, taking an uncertain step forward, "Remember that agreement you made with Shinda-san?"

"Hai." She said while inwardly cringing.

"Where do you think he learned that from?"

Yuya looked from Kyo to Bontenmaru and back again. It was no wonder the two were so much alike. If what Bontenmaru was implying was correct — and if Yuya was interpreting it correctly — was true, then Kyo might as well have raised Shinda. Or at least heavily influenced him, just as he'd done for Akira...but at least Akira was nicer...

Her face must have had that "Oh shit..." look, because Kyo only smirked and began walking in the direction Tamanori-san had pointed, apparently agreeing to Yuya's bet.

Best find a better hiding place, and not just for her wallet.

--------------------

((Oct. 19th, 2006)) A/N: Hope you like it! I've got big plans for this... dunno how it'll turn out, but at least I've got plans! --O-chan--


	14. For Your Information

**Chapter Twelve:**

**For Your Information**

Three hours and twelve minutes.

That was how long she'd been able to hold onto her wallet. She knew it wasn't a replacement, either, for she checked the hiding place and contents regularly and always made sure that it was money inside of it rather than rocks or some such trick.

Yuya sighed as they trudged onward, hoping there were no brothels or worse between their destination and here. She didn't have a sure-fire way to keep her wallet safe if they ran into a city or even just a town. Now, if anyone wanted to _help_ her kick Kyo's ass in this, well, she'd take all the help she could get.

"Hey Bon-han? How much longer?"

Bontenmaru only shrugged and called out, "Oi! _Kyo-dono_! How much farther?"

Receiving no answer, he shrugged again as Akira's voice sounded behind them, "Only a little while longer. In fact, we should be there by now."

True to his calculations, the forested road they'd been on opened up to reveal a small village. Small only because it had just one inn, while the rest of the village appeared to be homes. Taking a look around, Yuya saw a swordsmith perfecting a blade, looking for any cracks in the smooth metal. A few other blades hung on the wall, while many more sat in what appeared to be a discard pile. Yuya was suddenly reminded of Kyo. Surely many women had fallen for him; but they'd all been discarded by the heaps.

Would she join them? Or could she rise above them?

"Well, at least there's only place they could be, eh Kyo-han?"

Again the demonic samurai said nothing. He merely scanned the area, shot Akira and Bontenmaru a dark look, and then walked back into the forest. About to stop him again, Yuya halted when Akira put a hand on her shoulder and explained that Kyo would wait there until they came back with Shinda in tow. She scowled, but followed them all the same.

Entering the inn was like coming home to a grandmother's house. Everything about it screamed, "Come! Stay awhile!" A smiling old man came out to greet them, looking to be Tamanori-san's brother. He held his arms open in welcome.

"Why hello, there!" He beamed, "My, my, we must be getting popular. You're our fifth set of guests in two days. That Shirogane couple sure has brought us some good luck. Now, how may I help you?"

Akira answered before Benitora could give his piece, "We're searching for someone, and we were wondering if you could tell us where he is?"

"Sure! I know everyone within a five-mile radius! Just ask me." He smiled.

"A young man, looks older than he is. He calls himself Shinda."

The old man shook his head, "Nope, sorry, don't know a Shinda."

"What about Toge?" Yuya asked, thinking that someone as cautious as Shinda would never use the same name twice, "Do you know a Toge? Probably just got here yesterday."

"Now there's someone I know. Great boy, Toge. He and his wife are just wonderful. They might be down there. Toge-kun!"

"_Wife?!_" Yuya thought, thinking that a spouse was rather sudden, even if he was trying to cover his earlier tracks. Just what was going on here?!

"Nani?"

"Visitors!"

"Coming!" Toge called as he came out wearing an apron over a pair of blue-gray _hakama_ and a cream _gi_ with a dishtowel draped over one arm. He stopped when he saw the group, only his eyes showing his disbelief.

"I take it you know one another?"

Toge nodded, seemingly in a daze as he stared at Yuya, "Yuya-san… w-what are you going here? It's… I told you in my letter to you that it's over between us. I'm a married man now. Kami, if Ra-chan found you here… please, it's better if you just leave. Save yourself."

She had the dumbest look on her face and she knew it, "M-Married…?"

"I know it's hard to believe, but I couldn't marry you knowing that Ra-chan existed. It was love at first sight. I'm sorry I left so abruptly, but I hope the money I left you was enough? Do you need more? Is that why you're here? I'll give you as much as you want if you leave now. Please, just follow Ryushi-san out the back way."

Bontenmaru's voice was soft, and Yuya wouldn't have heard it if he hadn't been so close, "Play along with him. He won't say anything important in front of this Ryushi-san. The man's practically drooling."

Sneaking a glance over at the elderly man, Yuya had to agree with the One-Eyed Dragon. Ryushi seemed very involved with the story Toge was weaving. Taking another look at the young Toge, she saw that his posture showed every intention of going outback to talk. She decided to vent some of her anger while she had the chance. Plus, she wanted to see Benitora squirm a little.

"I won't leave and you know it," she bit out angrily, "no amount of money can keep me away. I only ever wanted _you_!"

"But I'm _married_, Yuya-san. Ra-chan would kill me for even _looking_ at you again. Please, just go. I'll give you five thousand ryo for leaving."

Yuya's mind was reeling at how easily he tossed the number out there. She felt as if he were bargaining with her for Kyo's bounty. In which case…

"No! No, I won't go! I don't even care if you _are_ married! Is she more beautiful than I am?"

"Yuya-san…"

"_Is_ she?" Yuya demanded, now feeling as though she were speaking to Yukimura or Okuni about the mysterious Lady Sakuya.

He seemed to be at a loss for words, and Yuya wondered what he was thinking about to stop from laughing or otherwise, "Of course not, but… she'll be coming down soon… ten thousand ryo."

"But Toge…"

"One hundred thousand ryo."

"I can't leave…"

He went to her in two strides, shoved something into her hand while whispering in her ear, and by then she was so stiff with shock that Bontenmaru carried her away like a sack of potatoes just in time. Benitora stayed a little longer, watching Ryushi's face as he looked ready to take first prize at the gossip lines at the market not too far away. He was even licking his lips in anticipation. Not liking the look in the old man's eyes, Benitora appointed himself to watch the old man in the future.

"I heard something going on down here."

"Nope, nothing going on, Ra-chan. Just havin' a chat with Ryushi-san."

She cocked her head, green eyes puzzled as a piece of dark red hair fell over her shoulder, "I thought I heard a woman's voice?"

"No women here," Toge smiled while fidgeting with his hands, "except for Imari-san, of course."

She nodded, saying nothing until she walked past him, "Nice try."

"…my gun…where's my gun?" Yuya asked, still in her daze or else she'd be ripping each one of them apart looking for it.

Benitora looked around, noting that Yukimura had gone missing, leaving their group comprised of Kyo, Yuya, Bontenmaru, Akira, Sasuke, and himself. Dammit, if Yukimura was going to leave, why couldn't he take the punk with him?

A door clicked shut and they looked to see Toge walking toward them wearing a look that suggested he'd just seen something unbelievable, "So… why _are_ you all here?"

"You know why we're here. Where's your friend?" Bontenmaru asked, leaning on his Bokken() and looking almost as menacing as Yuya had ever seen him as she clutched Toge's gift in her hand.

Toge seemed unfazed by this, despite the fact that Bontenmaru had been one of the four Emperors… maybe he didn't know that, "I don't know who you're talking about. I have no friends here."

"What about your wife, then?" Akira asked with an almost musical lilt to his voice, "Where is she?"

"Inside."

"You think we won't find your Shinda friend?"

"First of all, Shinda-sama isn't my friend. He is my leader and my teacher," Toge said calmly, his eyes giving the two Emperors a level look, "second of all, Date Masamune-sama, Akira-sama, Shinda-sama won't go back with you."

They blinked simultaneously, and a bored voice cut through the tension, "So you know us."

Toge fixed his gaze where he thought the voice to be in the woods, "I know if you, yes. Shinda-sama used to refer to you as the Four Riders of the Apocalypse, with the War God Himself to lead them."

"Flatterer…" Bontenmaru muttered.

Akira looked thoughtful, chin in his hand, "Do you agree that yoru Shinda is the same as our Suzaku?"

"Hai."

"Then how did Suzaku-san — a woman, mind you — become a man?"

Toge smiled, "Shinda-sama's always been a man."

Bontenmaru looked as though his other eye were about to pop right out of his head as he turned to Akira, "Who's gonna tell K…?"

"What are you all doing out here?"

They all turned to see a beautiful woman standing in the rear doorway of the inn. She had dark red hair that fell to her waist and wore a simple violet _kimono_ patterned with pink cherry blossoms. She was slender of build with beautiful green eyes and a soft voice. She held a broom close to her body in a sort of defensive gesture.

Toge smiled again, "Ah, Ra-chan, did you make it down okay? The day isn't too bright for you?"

"No, no, Toge-kun. The light is just fine. Now, what are you all doing out here? Why don't you come inside and have some… Toge, give the young woman what you stole from her. Go on, give it back."

Reaching into his apron, Toge held out Yuya's three-barreled gun to her, "Sorry about that… nervous habit is all. That's what happens when you're a pickpocket."

"Oh come now," his wife smiled, "you're getting better. You hugged me without taking my earrings yesterday. That's a big improvement. Oh! I'm Tashira, by the way. We just got married not too long ago, not used to introducing myself as anyone important just yet."

"_Tashira? Interesting name_…" Yuya thought as she tucked her gun back into her _obi_.

Akira took Tashira's extended left hand and smiled, quickly shoving the _kimono_ sleeve back to reveal the bandages that started in the middle of her hand and extended all the way to her elbow, "Care to explain these?"

"Not at all. In fact, those bandages are to help me do _this,_" she smiled, bringing her right hand around to punch him just beneath his jaw, "Toge, don't stand there like an idiot! Run, damn you! And for your information, I was born a _girl_!"

* * *

()can't remember if that's what Bontenmaru's weapon is called; please correct me if I'm wrong… checked online & that's what it said… O-chan 


	15. Prices to Pay

**Chapter Thirteen:**

**Prices to Pay**

Not bothering to hesitate in taking her own advice, "Tashira" began to run, and no one had really noticed the _hakama_ or the bare feet beneath the _kimono_. They couldn't really run to catch either of them, though, since that last statement had caught them off guard. If Tashira — who was assumed to be Shinda — claimed to have always been a girl, then why had Toge said otherwise? And why was she pretending to be a man in the first place?

"Hey look! It's the fire midget!"

Turning to look in Bontenmaru's direction, she tripped over her feet and a loud crack resounded in their ears as she fell. Toge turned to go back, but she stopped him by relocating her ankle with a sharp tug, getting back up, and continuing her run toward the surrounding woods, her foot slightly askew.

Suddenly, something silvery flashed over her head, landing where she would have been had she continued to run. If Bontenmaru's comment hadn't affected her, then this certainly did. Anyone would stop if the legendary Muramasa sword Tenro were flung at them, or at least, so Yuya thought.

"There's only one other person that can use this sword effectively. Care to try?"

She was shaking. Actually shaking at the prospect of touching Tenro. She even had her left hand outstretched to grab it.

"It was my dying wish, wasn't it? The one I didn't get to fulfill. Is Kyo-dono actually soft enough to acquiesce to a woman's request? Or are you just trying to clear your conscience?"

"As if he has one…" Yuya muttered.

"Or should I just grab this, be thankful, and use it?" She asked, left hand closing around Tenro's hilt.

Toge looked confused, "Why aren't you forgetting everything? You always forget…"

"And what do you know about my forgetting? Hm? _What do you know_?"

"Every time _he's_ mentioned," Toge said, jerking a thumb in Kyo's direction, "you forget everything from before Sekigahara."

"Only if I look at him."

"I mentioned his name yesterday and you _passed_ _out_!" He argued.

She waved it aside, "It startled me and I had a slight memory lapse; but not related to my issue. Now, how did you know about it?"

"I heard some stuff back at camp before I met back up with you. By the way, who's Ho…"

There was a clang of metal and Toge looked up to see his teacher standing straight up with the sword in her right hand and held behind her, protecting her back from an oddly-dressed man who had tried a horizontal hit, resulting in a clean-cut bodily separation.

"We'll continue this later, Toge," she said before turning her attention to the would-be assassin, "not very good, are you? Could have at least surprised me. If I'm gonna hate the Mibu, give me more than enough reason to do so."

Yuya blinked. The attitude was the same; however, it was difficult for her to match the faces of the male Shinda and the female Suzaku. Looking closer, all the qualities were still there, but the face… something about the face was wrong. Maybe she was seeing things, or maybe she was just plain wrong, but she didn't think this 'Suzaku' woman was the same as the Shinda she'd met.

Even the fighting style was different. Shinda — from what Yuya had seen, even if it had been only once — liked to use his body as a weapon in itself. Punches, kicks, and Yuya was sure he bit and clawed, too. The complete opposite could be said about Suzaku. For one, she'd grabbed Tenro with her left hand before transferring it over to her right hand, which struck Yuya as just plain odd to begin with. Plus, at the first sensing of an approaching enemy, she'd immediately reached for Tenro. Though Kyo had implied that only he and Suzaku could use it, Suzaku's movements were jerky, uncertain, and she seemed afraid to inflict pain, despite her earlier words.

Her diagnostics must have been plainly written on her face, for Akira stepped forward, still holding his chin, "That's not her."

"Then who is it?"

"Probably some village girl. Suzaku has four unique talents: she can wield Tenro, despite its length and her… lack of, well, height…"

"I heard that!" she called out as another Mibu assassin joined in the fray.

"…another talent is the way she can move her body in combat where the only weapon she has is herself. Something that was apparent in Shinda and not so here," he continued as though she hadn't said anything, "third, her ability to get along with Kyo is remarkable. She is probably the only one he can't every truly defeat. In combat, yes; but mentally, she wins it all."

Yuya nodded, trying to piece this together in a way she could understand it, "And the fourth talent? Something dealing with poor village girls, I assume?"

He smiled, "Her true strength — loathe as she may be to admit it — lies in her wards, or written spells. Very similar to _ofuda_. For example, she can change her gender with them, summon fire, or even use others as puppets, as she's doing now. the voice is hers, the knowledge is hers, but this girl isn't used to moving in this manner, so her flexibility is limited."

"Where's the _ofuda_, then? And why use the girl in the first place?"

"I can see Kyo-dono this way. I can look at him and still remember what happened before Sekigahara." Suzaku said as she stepped forth from the two fallen Mibu assassins, tossing Tenro at Kyo's feet.

"And you don't wanna get caught just yet, do you?"

She smiled, moving a piece of re-dyed black hair behind her ears, "That, too. And Bon?"

"Hm?"

"Using Ho-kun against me was cheating. You'll pay for that later."

He grimaced, "Had to stop you somehow."

"Made me dislocate an ankle that isn't mine." She grumbled, checking to make sure it hadn't gotten out of place again.

"Shoulda just used your own body, then," he said as she glared at him, "just saying."

"You. Quiet. You _will_ pay."

He shrugged, "We'll see."

She smirked, "Indeed we will. Just remembered that that 'fire midget' is mine. I want him in one piece."

Before Bontenmaru could say anything more on that subject, the girl collapsed, an _ofuda_ appearing above her and burning quickly. Toge had disappeared; presumably back into the woods where the real Suzaku may have been.

"Bon, grab her. We're leaving for Aokigahara." Kyo half barked as he reclaimed Tenro.

Bontenmaru quirked an eyebrow, "You saw the _ofuda_; it's not her."

"When has she ever used just one? Use your head." Akira taunted as he began following Kyo.

Bristling, Bontenmaru challenged, "_You_ didn't know it was her either! Get back here, Punk!"

"Hate to tell you," Sasuke began, hands shoved deeply into his pockets, "but she's crawlin' away."

Turning around quickly, he saw that Sasuke was right. She'd gone a few feet already and, had he continued to argue with Akira, she would surely have made it back to the woods.

Making his way toward her, he had to smile at her failed plan, through which only Kyo could have seen. She'd dressed as a village girl and then claimed to be possessing said girl. This way they'd have left her body and she would have been free to do whatever.

But a question remained in Bontenmaru's mind:

Suzaku herself had said — or at least heavily implied — that Kyo was the reason she forgot everything before Sekigahara, yet she'd looked right at him and identified him as the reason for the memory loss, which meant that something fishy was going on. Suzaku never lied intentionally, so perhaps the information she'd been given was a lie. Whoever told her that Kyo was the reason for her memory loss had lied to her in hopes of keeping her away from him. And if she avoided Kyo, then she had to avoid the Four Emperors, and thus ultimately keeping her away from…

Suzaku would kill. It would give her even more reason to hate whomever had told her this, most likely the Mibu, but either way, the woman over his shoulder was going to start making limbs fly.

Starting with her own.


End file.
